Hi Chris
Thanks for sharing your story, I had a stroke in May I’m fit and well don’t smoke or really drink. Also like you I have full use of my limbs but speech went and so have cognitive. I totally understand where you are coming from regarding feeling like a fraud, I question myself with that all the time and as the lovely people on here have told me and my stroke team have said you have a brain injury and it’s hard to accept something when you can’t see it and others can’t see it but your definitely not a fraud.
As your new good group of friends on here will tell you, you need to take it easy. 3weeks after my stroke I was, yer I feel great I can go back to my two jobs. Err no I get tired going for a walk and when asked by the stroke team to write down 10 steps on how to cook something I could only do 5 with help. The biggest part mate is accepting what’s happened. You are definitely not a fraud.
See memories gone been waffling on for got to say, yes I get headaches as well out of the blue or wake up with them and emotions are strange, I find that I cry for silly reasons that don’t make sense, when I haven’t cried in years.
Guess it’s all part of the new me now.
Speedy recovery mate
Best wishes
Dave
Crying for this and that is a very common result of having had a stroke. They gave me a leaflet about it in the hospital. Stroke affects the emtional part of the brain. I would also laugh a lot and have trouble stopping my laughter. But that does ebb away over time. 
Jeanne
Hi All
Thanks for the posts that still keep coming. They give great support.
A bit of an update. A week a go had a procedure to close a hole in the heart. The technology is amazing as do it all through a line into heart from groin. A bit black and blue due to very high dose of blood thinner but procedure successful. The hole was apparantly too big to ignore and was probable cause to my stroke. Apparantly if could have happened anytime but paradoxically my trying to get fitter by taking up running made it more likely as more blood would have travelled through hole without being filtered in lungs.
Its 9 months on since stroke. Balance issues seemed to have resolved, speech still a bit of a problem with some words but practice practice practice. As many of you said emoticons have quietened down but still more than b4. So thats the new me going forwards. My wife says my emotions are better now!
A big shout out to all on here for the massive support i really found it so supportive. People telling me what i might expect, which is 100% more than the NHS which was diddly squat. Also many thanks to SA who kept in touch throughout. Their support was massive.
To those reading this who have just had a Stroke or TIA and are worried my prayers for recovery are with you and you are in the right place for support and info.
@Chrisfw thank you for sharing your progress. It’s great to hear from people who are progressing well. It gives everyone hope & encouragement.
Thank you.
Ann
Im trying to do my bit for SA now. Recently did their Facebook challenge and managed to raise £600. Looking at other fundraisers.
As carities go, and being in Rotary ive seen many there are top notch!
@Chrisfw that’s a fantastic total & good on you for giving back. I have had amazing support from Stroke Association too & have given a little back and when i’m more able will do more.
Enjoy your Sunday.